In general, heavy equipment, for example, a bulldozer, loader, etc., for moving materials, e.g., earth, snow, refuse, etc., are provided with a main blade which is attached to a hydraulically articulated blade adjustment device on the vehicle. A general materials moving blade is a substantially planar, rectangular piece of steel which may have a substantially vertically oriented curve or bend along its length to facilitate materials handling and moving. It is also known that these blades may be divided into horizontally adjacent blade segments for materials handling purposes as well. The blades are also often provided with a replaceable or reinforced lower edge to replace or prevent damage to the blade from the ground surface over which the blade is pushed, pulled or carried by the machinery.
For purposes of snow removal, such above described blades are provided with a substantially longer longitudinal length than conventional earth moving blades due to the generally lighter and more consistent nature of snow relative to other materials. The longer length facilitates the clearing of large swaths of, for example, roads, parking lots, loading docks etc., of commercial and industrial centers during the winter months.
In order to contain the snow within the span or longitudinal length of the blade, sidewalls are often attached to the ends of the blade extending substantially perpendicularly out from the blade, i.e., parallel to the direction of travel of the equipment. This ensures that as much snow as possible is maintained in front of the blade, i.e., snow does not spill off the ends of the main blade. The sidewalls are usually a single, relatively thin piece of steel to keep the blade as light weight as possible.
A problem that arises with such apparatus is the lack of strength in the connection or joint between each sidewall attached at opposing ends of the blade. The substantially perpendicular welded joint attaching each sidewall to the blade, as is usual in the art, provides attachment but only minimal support for the relatively thin sidewall which extends a desired distance out in front of the main blade. Without any support other than the joint with the main blade, the thin sidewalls can be easily damaged, and are particularly susceptible to being bent outwards by sufficient snow loads within the confines of the box blade, especially as the machine pushes the blade with a load.
In order to overcome this problem of stability and to better secure the sidewalls to the main blade and prevent such damage, a support bar, tube, or a multiplicity of such bars or tubes are often welded between each sidewall and main blade. The support(s) are generally horizontal to the ground, i.e., perpendicular relative to but spaced from the substantially vertical joint between the sidewall and main blade. The support thus forms a triangular-type brace between the front surface of the main blade and the inner side of the sidewall to provide further rigidity and support to the sidewall.
These previously known supports present several problems, including a space between the support and the joint in which objects could be caught up or entangled. Also, such a horizontal support tends to form a shelf or trap for snow, ice or other debris which cannot become loosened without the operator intervening. In snow plowing, snow may build up in and around these supports and in order to remove such build up of snow, the operator must strike the blade upon the ground surface to loosen the snow or must physically remove the buildup by exiting from the cab and scraping the snow out, all of which may cause damage and time delays with respect to snow removing.